Written by

Ellie Krieger

Halloween and candy go hand-in-hand, but the sheer quantity of sweets can be one of the more frightening things about the holiday. While it’s fine to indulge a little, you can prevent a full-out sugar overdose and keep the holiday spirit alive by serving some scary-themed healthy nibbles at your party. This easy-to-make black bean dip with spider web topping is a treat that really does the trick.

More hauntingly good-for-you ideas:

Eyeball Eggs. Cut hard-boiled eggs in half; place sliced olives in the center of each to make eyeballs.

Witches’ Fingers. Roll pizza dough into the shape of fingers and place a sliced almond at the tip as a nail. Bake at 450 degrees until browned. Serve with marinara sauce.

Vampire Blood. Serve cups of tomato juice — spiked with lime and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook for 1 minute.

Place the beans in a food processor. Add the onion mixture and the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Spread the dip into a wide, shallow serving dish.

To make the spider web garnish, stir the sour cream and lime juice together in a small bowl. Place it into one end of a plastic bag, and snip a small hole in the corner of the bag. Pipe the sour cream mixture onto the dip in the shape of a spider web.

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Ellie Krieger is host of the The Food Network’s hit show “Healthy Appetite,” which airs on The Cooking Channel. The author of three cookbooks, her latest is Comfort Food Fix: Feel Good Favorites Made Healthy. A registered dietitian, Ellie has helped out with First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign and has teamed up with New York City SchoolFood initiative, where she created healthy, delicious menu items for students citywide.